CommentsXp
Best movie ever!
Derrick Gibbons
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
Fleur
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
mark.waltz
Not quite the classic that I expected, I found myself rather bored at times with this inventive but often painfully slow moving science fiction/horror film. It surrounds the flashback to Patricia Owens explaining to brother in law Vincent Price why she killed her husband, an act she claims was not murder. His death, in a metal crusher, leads to her being put under observation for being insane, and that leads her to tell her story to Price and police inspector Herbert Marshall. Through flashbacks, the experiments of he'd husband, David Hedison, are examined, and his alterations lead to a strange transformation that is shockingly ugly, but takes nearly a third of the film to be revealed. When it does out of nowhere come out, more questions come up than answers. Why this has a cult following is not surprising, but the fact that the mystery takes this long to get off the ground makes the film painfully slow at times. There are a few sequences that have gotten classic scene status, but those don't come until the film's climax. That means that Price and Marshall are off screen for much of the film, turning their parts into near cameos. Veteran Disney villain Betty Lou Gerson plays Owen's stern nurse, with veteran character actress Kathleen Freeman the confused maid trying to help Owens find the white headed fly. Charles Herbert plays Hedison and Owen's son, unaware of what is going on concerning his father. The conclusion, one of the famous scenes, comes out of nowhere, and really in retrospect of all that's happened, seems to be totally out of place, and changes the whole mood of the film up until then. This is a real curiosity to me, more because I don't understand how this got a cult following.
Rainey Dawn
There is a reason this is still a hyped Sci-Fi Horror of the 1950s. It's first and foremost a Drama but the aspect of the Sci-Fi Horror will take center stage.It is a very good movie concerning the scientist Andre Delambre and his wife Helene. Helene calls François Delambre, Andre's brother, with some very bad news as the story begins. Later we learn that Andre is working on a teleportation machine, he shows his wife and she is delighted. But one day disaster strikes - it's Andre that it happens to and it concerns a fly.I find the most haunting scene of all was with the cat. The echo of it's meow when the experiment failed... chilling.The main differences between The Fly 1958 and 1986 are: 1) 1958 two separate entities (man and fly), 1986 man and fly are fused as one.2) 1958 is much less graphic but has a more satisfying story. 1986 is more graphic. It is relying more on the special effects than the story but the story is still pretty good but less satisfying. Both films are very tragic and worth watching.I love both the 1958 and 1986 films but the 1958 has the edge for me personally. I love the way the 1958 story is told and Vincent Price adds an extra special touch.8.5/10
DKosty123
Vincent price gets a slower roleIf your a fan of slow drama and Price this movie is still quite the thing. No matter how many times it is re made so far, the original story has not been approached. Will it ever be? Can even cgi put together a human, a fly, and a cat. Cat? yes the original story includes a cat too, the fur balls do not fit with special effects and the animal rights people might not like the add on. This story illustrates a transporter before star trek. Just remember this time Captain Kirk is not transported into a woman and Spock is not an animal eaten by a spider. Price is excellent even if he is a bit stuffy being a sort of Detective cop.
utgard14
A scientist working on a matter transporter decides to try his machine out on himself. Little does he know a fly has flown into the transporter with him. This causes him to turn into a freakish man-fly creature. In order to reverse the change he needs the fly that flew into the transporter. So he turns to his wife for help in finding it.A compelling, suspenseful sci-fi film directed by Kurt Neumann with a script by James Clavell. Despite what many people go into this thinking, Vincent Price does not play the main character in this. He plays the brother of the man who turns himself into a fly-thing, but he's only a supporting character. Price would reprise his role in a sequel to this film. The man-fly scientist this time is played by David Hedison, billed at the time by his first name of Al. Hedison is no Price but he enjoyed a long and steady career from the '50s through the '00s. The female lead is lovely Patricia Owens. This was the biggest role of her career and she makes the most of it. It's through her character's flashbacks that the story of The Fly is told. Really the whole movie rests on her shoulders as Hedison spends a significant amount of time with his head covered or in the fly mask. Venerable Herbert Marshall and child actor Charles Herbert also appear. The special effects are fun, although they may be laughed at today by the 'too cool for school' crowd. Yes it requires a suspension of disbelief but, come on, it's a monster movie not a National Geographic documentary. Have some fun with it. There are some amazing scenes in this, from the opening at the factory to the revelation scene to that memorable ending. It's easily director Neumann's best work. A true classic that everyone who loves '50s science fiction should see at least once. Followed by a couple of watchable sequels and a 1986 remake by David Cronenberg that is considered by many to be something of a classic itself.
